This is the only relevant thread I found, Belloq. I searched topics with "script" in them, though perhaps someone else would have better luck since that pulled 30 pages of results out of the Description Archives forum >.> That thread has to do with an automated script for Top Sites (CP) voting, which is an OOC process.

I would think that an actual IC action (e.g. purchasing from the market) would be against the rules, or at least the spirit of the game.

Tomas: Thank you for trying to swim through all those pages. I began, got about five pages in, and threw up my hands.Year 6, with people like Teniel Djo saying that script (for automating the CP clicks) isn't cheating.

Jevon: I thought it would be, and as Tomas has indicated, it would be against the spirit of the game at the very least. I can see a script being used for combat to automate certain processes as highly illegal.

So, my follow-up question: If an individual or a faction has been caught *currently* using such a script, and I mean like in the past week, *after* the Sim News explaining that exploiting such a bug of buying from the NPC Market before it hits auction is wrong, wouldn't such use require a lengthy ban?

I'm not talking about a retroactive use, but one that is in operation as recently as Day 38, less than four days ago, and following the Day 35 announcement by Selatos that such a window to purchase items before they're actually included in an auction is a "bug."

I believe Selatos is already aware of this particular situation. But those of you who camp on the Market and are waiting for certain sales to come down the pike might want to be aware of this, and weigh in.

Scripts are always punishable with bans if the user has not received explicit permission for it from the admins. In this instance, Sel has already been reviewing all of the data and server logs to check for bots/scripts.

The issue is possibly worse than just the 15 minute pre-fire sale the Market was doing. Entities notified of going to the market did not exercise the appropriate amount of time to actually enter the market and instead were ingested immediately or at the very least within 2 days. The buyer then utilized the 15 minute bug to purchase the entities before anyone else saw them.

OR

The bot/script recognized that the entity was tagged for market and was somehow able to purchase via database w/o involving the market.

OR

SImilar as above, but used the Market interface.

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Most scripts that I've seen within the game have been legitimate 'helpers' that assisted in personal/faction inventory, planetary management or scan housing. None of those scripts are harmful to the game and all of them have had Admin blessing.

I would hope that a Market bot is punishable, especially after a known bug was reported and handled. It creates a more than unfair advantage, especially if used over time and non-partisanly.

no wonder there was always just trash in the market place makes you wonder how far and powerful some sentient's/factions...would actually be at this point had this bug not been in place for dare I say a 2 year window.

Asleep at the wheel may be an understatement for such an oversight considering the clear amount of attention brought to this issue by many players via irc and support tickets and what not.

just saying I wonder how much was actually gained with out fair hard ic work makes you wonder.

This seems to get deeper and deeper, I"m glad though that the Admis are working hard to correct it and have I believe but this talks of scripts and more investigations makes me think some bans are probably coming.

Scripts were only mentioned as speculation here by a player. I wouldn't take that as a guarantee that anything actually happened, just as something that is being looked into additionally, just in case.

I'm noticing that some really nice stuff like Heavy Battle Armor are finally showing up on the market. I have to wonder if this is in some part responsible for the price deflation on CPM or things just plain not selling. Really happy to see this fix!

"On two occasions I have been asked,—"Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?" I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
- Charles Babbage